Collapsible table



Nov. 17, 1931. J. s. BUCKMAN COLLAPSIBLE TABLE Filed March 17, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOHN s. BUCKMAN BY Q his ATTORNEYS creased and folded.

Patented Nov. 17, 1931 JOHN S. BUC KMA lN; !,FIiUSI-IING, NEW YORK COLLAPSIBLE TABLE Application .filed March $17, 1930. Serial No. 436,505.

Important objects of the present invention are, to provide anextremely cheap and simply construct-ed foldable table designed to .be

w collapsed to a ver-ycompact form; to provide a practical and satisfactory table of-this-sort made of pasteboard or similar sheet material; to :provide :such a table designed to fold into afiat sheet form; and to provide a cheap but satisfactory table intended particularly for use in public places for bridge playing and the like, designed .to be readily set up when required. and 'to be readily collapsed ltO a compact form so that .a large number of tables maybe stored in .asmall spacewhen they are not needed. V

In the drawings, Fig. 1 sisa plan view of the table in collapsed form;

Fig. 2 a side edge view of the collapsed table;

Fig. 3 a bottom edge view of the collapsed table; 7

4 a view similarto Fig. 3 showing the table partly unfolded;

Fig. 5 a bottom plan view of the table further unfolded;

Fig. 6 a view ofone side of the table; Fig. '7 a view of another side ofJthe table; Fig. 8a horizontal section taken on .the w line 88 of'Fig. 6; B Fig. 9 a detail section on a larger scale,

taken on.tl1eline.99 0f Fig.7;

Fig. 10an enlarged detail section taken on theline -10'10 ofFig. 8 ;.and I 'Fig. 11 a perspective view of the set up table.

The table is preferably constructed almost entirely. from two flat sheets 1 and 2 ofpasteboard or similar cheap sheet material'which possesses sufficient stiffness but may be Sheets 1 and 2 are exact duplicates and are superposed in face to face contact with their contoursin accurate register. Each sheet has a relatively rectangular lower portion 3 which is foldable to form-the supporting structure ofthe table,

and a smaller-rectangular upper portion '4; which is foldableto fornrthe tabletop. Said upper portion iscentered at the .upperedge of the lower portioln and, coincident with said edge both sheets are formed with slits 5 extending inwardly from their opposite side edges. Said slits areof equal length and between :their-inner ends both sheets are horizontally creased, as at 6 to form hinge connections between :the upper and lower portions of the sheets.

The lower portion 13 of each sheet is vertically creased, as at 7 along parallel vertical lines extending downward from the endsof the horizontal crease 6. Below the latter crease both sheets are formed with a'slitextending horizontally between the creases, as at 8, curving outwardly and downwardly in opposite directions as at 9, beyond the creases .7, .and thenconverging inwardly and downwardly to said creases, as at 10. This slit partlyencloscs a central portion ofeach sheetand saidcentral portion is creased as at 11 to fold alonga horizontal line extending across itbetweenthe outermost-points there f of. Extending'obliquely inward from the outwardly curved portions .of said slit are short slits .12. Thecentralportion interrupts the continuity of the vertical creases 7 which creases 7, form a double-ply central web 14 while the portions located without said web form two pairs of opposed side leaves 15- which are adapted to be spread apart to operative positions. The central portions defined bythe irregular slit and by the horizontal crease 11 form two opposed leaves 16 which are adapted to be spread. apart to engagetheleaves :1'5 and hold them in operative position; The outwardly pointed riveted portions'libeneaththe ends of the crease 11 form-a support to brace the leaves 15 at their hinged points. The opposedupper portions 4 of the sheets 1 and 2 form leaves which are adapted to be folded outward in opposite directions at the creases 6 into a horizontal plane to form the table top. Each of said leaves is formed with fold creases 18 extending along the opposite side edges thereof and with a fold crease 19 extending along the upper edge of the leaf between the creases 1 1. Short slits extend inwardly from the opposite side edges of the leaf to meet thecrease 19. 1 Along the slits 5 hinge strips of suitable flexible, material 21 are pasted or otherwise secured to the leaves 4. These strips extend clear to the side edges of theleaves and the creases 18 extend across them also. The purpose of creases 18 and 19 is to define margins 22 and 23 which are downwardly foldable to finish the edges of the table top. Each leaf 4. is provided at its outer corners with snap fastoning elements 2 1 and with companion snap fastening elements disposed upon the side margins 22, directly below the short slits 20. Said companion elements are adapted to be lockingly engaged to hold said margins folded down and to hold the table top flat as will be described hereinafter.

In setting up the table the side leaves 15 are spread apart to divergent positions as shown in Fig. 5. Then, the central leaves 16 are separated and swung outward in opposite directions to lie in a horizontal plane. Said leaves then engage the side leaves 15 with the inner, cut out edges of the latter fitting in the short slits 12. The inner ends of slits 12 are ing engagement with leaves 15.

then disposed in the sharp corners formed by the meeting portions 9 and 10 of the irregular central slit. Thereby the leaves 16 are held in horizontal operative position and serve to brace the leaves 15 and hold them in operative position. The curvature of the slit portions 9 serves to guide the leaves 16 into said hold- Having thus prepared the supporting structure the leaves 4 are separated and are folded down fiat upon said structure. The various parts of the latter areso proportioned and positioned with relation to the top-forming leaves 4 that when said leaves are folded down the outer ends of the leaves 15 are disposed in the corners defined by the margin creases 18 and 19 in plan as shown in Fig. 5. Next, the margins 22 and 23 outside of the creases 18 and 19 respectively are folded down and the corner margin portions or tabs bearing the fastening elements 2 1 arev folded laterally inward to lockingly engage said elements with the elements 25. Thereby the margins are held folded down. The margins 22 of the two leaves are joined by the hinge strips 21 and said strips are also folded down with the mar gins to form one continuous doWnt-urned mar gin at each side of the table top and serve to hold the table top flat. The downwardly turned and fastened margins stiffen the table top and engage the supporting leaves 15 at the corners to brace said leaves and assist in holding them in place. In its set up condition the table structure is well braced throughout and is stiff and sturdy.

When the table is to be collapsed the fastening elements 24: and 25 are released and the leaves 16 are swung upward to free the leaves 15. The entire table structure may then be folded into the flat blank form shown in Fig. 1 with the leaves of each pair in face to face contact. In this flat, compact form large numbers of the tables may be stacked and stored in a limited space.

While I have shown a very satisfactoiy form of my invention I do not wish to b limited strictly to this disclosure but reserve the right, to make such changes as will he within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A collapsible table comprising a pair of similar superposed sheets of pasteboard or equivalent material having opposed table top leaf portions at one end foldable outward and downward away from each other to together form the table top, opposed portions along both longitudinal sides of the superposed sheets below said top leaf portions foldabl laterally outward away from eaclrother to form supports for the top leaf portions, and opposed intermediate portions foldable outward away from each other along lines eX- tending transversely of the sheets to engage said top leaf supports and releasably hold them in supporting position, the sheets being Secured together face to face between said. leaf supporting portions below said top forming leaf portions.

2. A collapsible table comprising a pair of similar superposed sheets of pasteboard or equivalent sheet material having opposed top leaf forming portions foldable outward and downward away from each other to together form the table top. opposed leaf supporting side portions foldable laterally outward away from each other to form upstanding supports for the top leaf portions, and opposed bracing and locking portions foldable away from each other and intertittable with the leaf supporting side portions to releasably hold them in supporting position, the sheets being secured together face to face between said leaf supporting side portions.

3. A collapsible table comprising a pair of similar superposed sheets of pa teboard or equivalent sheet material having opposed top leaf forming portions foldable outward and downward away from each other to together form the table top, opposed leaf supporting side portions foldable laterally outward away from each other to form upstanding support for the top leaf portions, and opposed bracing and locking portions foldahle away from each other and interfittable with the leafsup porting side portions to releasably hold them in supporting position, the sheets being socured together face to face between said leaf supporting side portions, and means to releasably hold the top leaves down upon their supporting portions.

4. A collapsible table comprising a pair of similar superposed and attached sheets of stiff foldable material having opposed upper por tions foldable outward and downward away from each other to form the table top, and opposed portions at each side of said attached sheets foldable laterally outward away from each other to engage at their upper ends under the table top portions to support the table top portions in a horizontal plane.

5. A collapsible table comprising a pair of similar superposed sheets of stiff foldable material having opposed upper portions forming leaves foldable outward and clownward away from each other to form the table top, opposed side portions forming leaves foldable laterally outward away from each other to form upstanding supports for the table top leaves, means to releasably hold said supporting leaves in supporting position. and means to releasably hold said top-forming leaves in operative position.

6. A collapsible table comprising a pair of similar superposed sheets of pasteboard or equivalent stiff foldable material both slit transversely from each longitudinal edge and creased between the ends of the slits to fold along a horizontal intermediate line and both creased along a pair of spaced parallel vertical lines extending downwardly from the inner ends of said slits to the lower edges of the sheets, the sheets being secured together in face to face contact between said vertical creases, the opposed sheet portions above the horizontal crease being foldable outwardly and downwardly away from each other to form the table top, and the opposed sheet portions located outside of said vertical creases being foldable outward away from each other into diverging positions to form supports for the table top extending toward the four corners of the table top along their upper edges.

7. A collapsible table comprising a pair of similar superposed sheets of pasteboard or equivalent stiff foldable material both slit transversely from each longitudinal edge and creased between the ends of the slits to fold along a horizontal intermediate line and both creased along a pair of spaced parallel vertical lines extending downwardly from the inner ends of said slits .to the lower edges of the sheets, the sheets being secured together in face to face contact between said vertical creases, the opposed sheetportions above the hor1zontal crease being foldable outwardly and downwardly away from each other to form the table top, and the opposed sheet portions located outside ofsaid vertical creases being foldable outward away from each other into diverging positions to form supports for the table top extending toward the four corners of the table top along their .upper edges, said sheets being slit and transsuperposed sheets of material both creased to fold along a horizontal line to form similar opposed leaves above said line foldable outward and downward away from each other to form the table top, said sheets being attached below said line and vertically creased to form foldable leaves below the table top to support the topleaves, said top leaves having downwardly foldable marginal portions provided with snap fastening means to hold said marginal portions folded down. i

9. A collapsible-table comprising a pair of superposed sheets of material both creased to'fold along a horizontal line to form similar opposed leaves above said line foldable outward and downward away from each other to form the table top, said sheets being attached below said line and vertically creased to form foldable leaves below the table top to support the top leaves, said top leaves hav ing downwardly foldable marginal portions, and means for releasably connecting said marginal portions to form a continuous tie extending around the table top to hold the top forming leaves against upward folding. 10. A collapsible table comprising a flat central web; a pair of opposed leaves hinged to the upper end of said web to fold downward and outward away from each other and form the table top; and two pairs of opposed leaves hinged to the opposite side edges of the web to fold laterally away from each other to diverging positions to support the table top.

11. A collapsible table comprising a flat central web; a pair of opposed leaves hinged to the upper end of said web to fold downward and outward away from each other and form the table top; two pairs of opposed leaves hinged to the opposite side edges of the web to fold laterally away from each other to diverging positions to support the table top; and a pair of leaves hinged to the web to fold outward to engage said supporting leaves and hold them in supporting position. 12. A collapsible table comprising a pair of superposed sheets of material both creased to fold along a horizontal line and along a pair of spaced vertical lines extending downward from said horizontal line to the lower edges of the sheets, the sheets being secured together in face to face contact between said creases thus forming opposed leaves above the horizontal crease foldable outward and downward away from each other to form the table top, and opposed leaves outwardly of the vertical creases foldable laterally outward away from each other to form supports for, the table top, both sheets being formed with an intermediate slit defining opposed leaves foldable outward away from each other to engage and brace said supporting leaves.

13. A collapsible table comprising a flat central web; a leaf hinged to the upper end of said web to fold downward for forming the table top; and a pair of upright supporting leaves hinged to the opposite side edges of the web to fold laterally outward and extend across the under side of said top leaf to support it, said web and leaves being collapsible into a flat form.

14. A collapsible table comprising a sheet of stiff foldable material creased along parallel vertical lines to form laterally foldable supporting leaves outwardly of said creases, and medially slit and creased transversely to form a flap foldable outward to engage and releasably hold said side leaves in operative position; another sheet superposed upon said first sheet and secured to it face to face; and a leaf hinged to one of said sheets and foldable downward to rest upon the upper ends of said supporting leaves for forming the table top.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my JOHN S. BUOKMAN.

': signature. 

